Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Spiraea fritschiana cultivar Wilma.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spiraea plant, botanically known as Spiraea fritschiana, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Wilma.
The new Spiraea originated from a cross-pollination during the spring of 1995 of two unidentified selections of Spiraea fritschiana, not patented. The cultivar Wilma was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in East Lansing, Mich. The selection of the new Spiraea was based on its vibrant pink-colored flowers.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings taken at Grand Haven, Mich., since spring, 1997, has shown that the unique features of this new Spiraea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Wilma have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Wilmaxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Wilmaxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and rounded plant habit.
2. Freely branching growth habit.
3. Red-colored young leaves.
4. Freely flowering habit.
5. Vibrant pink-colored flowers.
6. Excellent garden performance.
Plants of the new Spiraea are most similar to the parent selections and differ from plants of parent selections and other known selections of Spiraea fritschiana in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Spiraea are more freely branching than other known selections of Spiraea fritschiana. 
2. Young leaves of plants of the new Spiraea are more red in color than young leaves of other known selections of Spiraea fritschiana. 
3. Plants of the new Spiraea have larger inflorescences with more flowers per inflorescence than other known selections of Spiraea fritschiana. 
4. Plants of the new Spiraea have pink-colored flowers whereas other known selections of Spiraea fritschiana have white-colored flowers.